Couture Decor

Earlier this year one of the most gifted designers of our time and one of my all time favorite fashion icons, Alexander McQueen, tragically passed away.  Known for the striking originality, drama and extravagance he brought to his collections, McQueen was an artist to the core.  The brand he created survived him and continues to produce the same types of unconventional pieces McQueen himself championed.  The looks he played an active role in creating, however, are now considered instant heirlooms.  Before he died, McQueen partnered with The Rug Company to create a collection of rugs inspired by some of his greatest works.  He designed a military brocade rug that referenced a gold bullion-embroidered coat from his Fall 2001 collection.  He replicated a hummingbird pattern that appeared in his Spring 2009 runway show.  He also created a pattern with feathers and another with skulls, two reoccurring themes in his design.  It’s obvious these pieces were created with the same meticulous attention to detail McQueen’s clothing is famous for…in fact, The Rug Company spent nearly three years designing and producing before they released the collection.  Using only the finest wools, cashmere and silk yarns, the finest knotting techniques and the very best materials, the rugs produced are couture and luxurious to say the least.  Check out the four available designs.

The Ultimate Sale

If you don’t ever listen to me about anything else, I beg of you listen to me now and get to the Gilt Groupe American Home Designers sale right away.  If you’re in a time-crunch stop reading and go now!  I don’t know how they do it, but Gilt is selling some of the most gorgeous pieces from A-list designers at a fraction of the price.  Act quickly or you’ll miss out on the sale altogether- the party’s over at 11pm October 16th (Saturday).  Shop from the home collections of Calvin Klein, Kim Seybert, Kelly Wearstler, Michael Aram, DayNa Decker, Sandy Chilewich, Nambe’…the list goes on.  It’s the rarest of all sales…High-Design, High-End, low price…you’d be crazy not to at least check it out!  Check out these pieces on sale now- to see the rest join Gilt Groupe at our invitation.

The Glass Half-Full

If I had to make a list of favorite decorative items in my home, somewhere in the top 10 would be my roommate, Courtney’s, small collection of milk glass.  The color and texture of the candy dish, vase, candle sticks and various containers set on our bookshelves brings just a touch of a vintage vibe to our living room and I’ve gotta say…I love it.  Originally created in Venice, milk glass has been around since the 16thcentury.  It has quite a history- the Victorians used it as an inexpensive alternative to porcelain, France popularized it during the end of the 19th century, it represented the cultural prosperity of wealthy American culture throughout the 20th century, and it was considered a poor-mans glass throughout the depression of the 1930’s.  Today it’s more common to find milk glass at a flea market than at a Pottery Barn, but I’d venture to say that only adds to it’s allure.  Follow the links below to check out a few pieces for sale online- they’re in limited qualities and some are used but they’re all quite lovely.  I love milk glass in white, but also find it quite charming in jade.  What do you think?

Jadeite Green Milk Glass Hobnail 

Creamer & Sugar Set - $40

Hocking Milk Glass Hobnail 

Beverage Set - $70

Milk Glass Pedestal Vase - $12

12 piece Milk Glass Bud Vases - $62

 

From Inspiration to Reality

The person that knows what they’re searching for is in a much better position to find it than the one who hasn’t a clue…it’s just common sense.  Logical as it may be, however, it doesn’t make determining what you want any easier.  Design is subjective, so while hiring a designer will certainly help bring your look together even the most highly paid professional can’t read your mind.  So how do you do it, then?  How on earth are you supposed to just know the perfect thing to look for?  The best piece of advice I can give you is to start with an inspiration piece.  Your inspiration piece can be a picture, a pillow, a book….it can be an object that goes in the room, one you saw in a museum, one that only exists in a movie…it can be small, big, or anything in between and I could go on listing possibilities forever.  It can literally be any portion of anything in the world.  Whether you’re currently re-decorating or not, always keep your eyes peeled for a possible inspiration piece…you never know when you may need to reference one.  I try to keep a small file of things that strike me in case the need for inspiration presents itself.  Even once you find your inspiration piece, there is still work to be done…determine what it is you love about it and how you can incorporate that element (color, shape, size, etc.) into your design.  I recently started the process of trying to take one of my own, personal inspiration pieces from idea to reality and I figured I’d invite you along for the ride.  I’ve been holding on to a picture of Michelle William’s 2006 Oscar dress for quite a few years now…the second I saw that shade of yellow, I knew it was a color I needed somewhere in my home. 

I’m not in a place where I can re-decorate right now, but I did feel it was time to start the hunt.  Step one of my process was to figure out the necessary details to make my search more precise- in this case, exactly what color is that dress?  There are a million shades of yellow and I’ve got a very specific one in mind, thus the Googling began.  I came across a few different descriptive terms of the dress itself, the most accurate and specific of which I determined to be “Goldenrod, Saffron, and Mimosa”.  Things got substantially easier and more exact once I knew just what to search for (as I may have mentioned before).  Since I still don’t know just where I want to use this fantastic color, I cast a wide net.  I was excited about what I found, check it out.

Personalized Knit Cozy - $16

Japanese Anemone Print Pillow Cover - $25

Braided Bowl - $38

Filigree Cloth Napkins- $20

Vic Firth Gourmet Pepper Mill - $39.95

New York Botanical Garden Kiku Vase

Van Gogh Reproduction- $100 

Mimosa Settee

     

Le Belle Settee

When it comes to furniture, the spectrum of possibility is frighteningly large.  On one hand you have the La-Z-Boy arm chair style which, for the most part, is the clothing equivalent to pajamas.  The aesthetics are all but irrelevant because it’s designed strictly for comfort.  In the far opposite corner you’ll find the settee (seh TEE), a classic, sharp looking silhouette that may not be uncomfortable per say, but whose first priority is to look tailored and timeless.  Depending on what type of space you’re trying to design, both styles have their place.  In the interest of full disclosure, however, I should tell you that while I could never see another La-Z-Boy again and be okay with it, I’m quite keen to the chic look of a settee.  I love the way they instantly bring a sense of refinement to the room.  Dress them up with luxurious accessories or create a playful contrast by dressing them down with casual ones…either way, they’re sure to make a statement.  Check out a couple fun examples of settee’s I found to be particularly captivating.